Rheumatoid arthritis is best described as:

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Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition, meaning the immune system mistakenly attacks the body's own tissues. In this disease, the immune attack targets the lining of the joints (the synovium), causing long-lasting inflammation that can lead to pain, swelling, stiffness, and eventual joint damage. It is chronic, with periods of flare and remission, and it often involves multiple joints on both sides of the body. Importantly, it can affect other organs and body systems beyond the joints, such as the eyes, lungs, heart, and blood vessels, which is why a description that emphasizes a chronic autoimmune disorder with joint and systemic involvement best fits. This distinguishes it from degenerative joint diseases like osteoarthritis, which arise mainly from wear and tear and do not typically involve other organs, from septic or infectious arthritis, which is an acute infection, and from disorders of muscle tissue.